Brighton RNLI has issued a warning to paddleboarders ahead of the summer after two people had to be rescued more than a mile from shore.

When a Brighton lifeboat arrived to rescue the pair on Saturday afternoon, one of them had been in the water off Saltdean for nearly an hour.

Fortunately the paddleboarders had a telephone with them and had called 999 as the wind was too strong and they could not get back.

They were taken to the lifeboat station in Brighton Marina.

Roger Cohen, Brighton Lifeboat Operations Manager, said stand up paddleboards were “very popular at the moment” and the RNLI was expecting to see many of them on the beaches this summer.

“We hope that people will take the proper precautions and steps to ensure that they can enjoy them safely on the water,” he said.

Anyone considering using a paddleboard is advised to wear a wetsuit, take a phone in a waterproof bag and check the tide and weather conditions before heading out.

If people run into trouble, the RNLI advice is to stay on the paddleboard until help arrives.

“Stand up paddleboarding can be a lot of fun, but it is important to remember that, as with any watersport, it can be potentially dangerous as well if not taken seriously,” added Mr Cohen.

The lifeboat was also called out on Saturday to rescue a dinghy with three people on board.

At the time of the call, the dinghy was west of Brighton Marina, about 400m out.

It had launched from the beach but was being blown further out by a northerly wind and there were issues restarting the engine.

The occupants were taken onboard the lifeboat and the dinghy was towed back to the marina.

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